[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 17 (Monday, January 27, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3894-3896]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-1860]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION


Public Information Collection Requirements Submitted to Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) for Review

January 17, 1997.
    The Federal Communications Commission has submitted the following 
information collections to OMB for review. For further information 
contact Dorothy Conway, Federal Communications Commission, (202) 418-
0217.
    In Revision of ARMIS Quarterly Report (FCC Report 43-01), ARMIS 
USOA Report (FCC Report 43-02), ARMIS Joint Cost Report (FCC Report 43-
03), ARMIS Access Report (FCC Report 43-04), ARMIS Quarterly Service 
Quality Report (FCC Report 43-05), ARMIS Semi-Annual Service Quality 
Report (FCC Report 43-06), ARMIS Infrastructure Report (FCC Report 43-
07), and ARMIS Operating Data Report (FCC Report 43-08) for Tier 1 
Telephone Companies (released December 17, 1996), CC Docket No. 96-193, 
the Common Carrier Bureau implements the Commission's Order in Order 
and Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Reform of Filing Requirements and 
Carrier Classification (Reporting Requirements (Order) released 
September 12, 1996. Rules requiring the filing of automated Reporting 
Management Information System (ARMIS) reports more frequently than 
annually were superseded by Section 402(b)(2)(B) of the 
Telecommunications Act of 1996. The Commission, therefore, amended its 
rules with the issuance of the Reporting

[[Page 3895]]

Requirements Order. Carriers are now required to file all ARMIS reports 
on an annual basis. This Order revises the form and content of these 
reports to facilitate annual filings. In this Order, we adopt revisions 
to all ARMIS reports which require carriers with annual operating 
revenues for the preceding year equal to or above the indexed revenue 
threshold to file ARMIS reports for 1996, due on or before April 1, 
1997. We also clarify definitions and row descriptions on several ARMIS 
reports. These clarifications are implemented to provide consistency 
between reports and improved understanding of existing requirements. In 
addition, this Order compiles previously adopted ARMIS report 
requirements for the convenience of report filers. While many of these 
requirements were adopted pursuant to previous Commission orders, 
others were developed through correspondence with the industry in an 
effort to clarify existing procedures. The full text of the Commission 
Order and detailed instructions for the completion of the reports, 
which incorporate the changes made in the Order, are available for 
public inspection in the Commission's Public Reference Room at 2000 L 
Street, N.W., Suite 812, Washington, D.C. 20554 and from the 
International Transcription Service, Inc. (ITS) at 2100 M Street, N.W., 
Suite 140, Washington, D.C. 20037.
    The Order contains new and/or modified information collections. The 
Order has been submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
for review under the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA). The 
Commission has updated its November 1996 paperwork submissions made for 
the collections identified below (which are currently under OMB review) 
to OMB to reflect the new and/or modified collections in the Order. OMB 
is asked to approve the changes adopted in the Order in addition to any 
requirements in the original submissions.
    The Commission, as part of its continuing effort to reduce 
paperwork burdens, invites the general public and the Office of 
Management and Budget (OMB) to comment on the following information 
collections contained in the Order as required by the Paperwork 
Reduction Act of 1995, Public Law No. 104-13. Written comments by the 
public on the proposed and/or modified information collections are due 
30 days after date of publication in the Federal Register. OMB 
notification of action is due on February 24, 1997. Comments should 
address: (a) Whether the proposed or modified information collection is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the 
Commission, including whether the information shall have practical 
utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's burden estimates; (c) 
ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on the respondents, including the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.

Federal Communications Commission

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0395.
    Title: Automated Reporting and Management Information Systems 
(ARMIS)--Sections 43.21 and 43.22.
    Form No.: FCC Reports 43-02, 43-05, 43-07.
    Type of Review: Revised collection.
    Number of Respondents: Businesses or other for profit.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 943.27.
    Total Annual Burden: 151,868.
    Estimated Costs Per Respondent: $0.
    Needs and Uses: ARMIS is needed to administer our accounting, 
jurisdictional separations, access charges and joint cost rules and 
rules to analyze revenue requirements and rates of return, service 
quality and infrastructure development. It collects financial and 
operating data from all Tier 1, Class A local exchange carriers with 
annual revenues over $100 million and carriers who elect incentive 
regulation. The information contained in the reports provides the 
necessary detail to enable this Commission to fulfill its regulatory 
responsibilities.

Summary of Changes

a. FCC Report 43-02

    The USOA Report provides the annual operating results of the 
carriers' activities for every account in the USOA. In the Order the 
Commission amended row descriptions and definitions to add clarity and 
provide consistency among reports. In Table I-1, Income Statement 
Accounts, Row 5280, Nonregulated, is no longer included in Row 5200, 
Miscellaneous, to be consistent with Part 32. Row descriptions and 
definitions of Row 510, Basic Local Service Revenue, and Row 520, Local 
Network Service Revenue were also revised. Description of Row 730 was 
also clarified as well as the definition of Row 860, Total Compensation 
for the Year. Various row descriptions in Table I-6, Special Charges, 
and Table I-7, Donations or Payments for Services Rendered by Persons 
other Than Employees were clarified to specify dollar amounts above 
which items must be reported.

b. FCC Report 43-05

    The Service Quality Report provides service quality information in 
the areas of interexchange access service installation and repair 
intervals, local service installation and repair intervals, trunk 
blockage and total switch downtime for price cap companies. All tables 
have been revised to facilitate reporting on an annual basis. The 
report has also been revised to clarify the filing instructions.

c. FCC Report 43-07

    The Infrastructure Report provides switch deployment and 
capabilities data. Various rows of Table 1, Switching Equipment were 
revised to correct minor typographical errors. For clarification 
purposes, Table IV, Additions and Book Costs, Row 0540 has been 
renamed, ``Total TPIS Gross Additions (000).''

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0511.
    Title: ARMIS Access Report.
    Form No.: FCC Report 43-04.
    Type of Review: Revised collection.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for-profit.
    Number of Respondents: 150 respondents.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 1,150 hours.
    Total Annual Burden: 172,500 hours.
    Estimated Costs Per Respondent: $0.
    Needs and Uses: The Access Report is needed to administer our 
accounting, jurisdictional separations and access charge rules, and to 
analyze revenue requirements and rates of return and to collect 
financial and operating data from all Tier 1 local exchange carriers.

Summary of Changes

    Row titles have been expanded to provide more meaningful 
descriptions in FCC Report 43-04. Various row definitions have been 
clarified to provide consistency among reports. The General 
Instructions are expanded to include symbols to be used to 
differentiate whole dollars, dollars reported in thousands, percentages 
and other units (e.g., minutes, miles, conversational minutes, working 
loops, etc.). Other revisions were made pursuant to previous Orders and 
letters from the Chief of the Accounting and Audits Division. Rounding 
conventions are included to reflect prior clarifications made in a 
letter from the Common Carrier Bureau to a representative of USTA on 
July 10, 1992. The N/As were removed from Column (r) for Rows 3070 and 
3071. The descriptions of Row 2250, FCC Investment Adjustment, and Row 
7350, FCC Expense Adjustment, are clarified

[[Page 3896]]

to state that these rows will not include any TPUC or AFUDC, 
respectively, as a Part 65 adjustment.

    OMB Control Number: 3060-0513.
    Title: ARMIS Joint Cost Report.
    Form No.: FCC Report 43-03.
    Type of Review: Revised collection.
    Respondents: Businesses or other for Profit.
    Number of Respondents: 150 respondents.
    Estimated Time Per Response: 200 hours per response.
    Total Annual Burden: 30,000 Hours.
    Estimated Costs Per Respondent: $0.
    Needs and Uses: The Joint Cost Report is needed to administer our 
joint cost rules (Part 64) and to analyze data in order to prevent 
cross-subsidization of nonregulated operations by the regulated 
operations of Tier 1 carriers.

Summary of Changes

    Various rows descriptions and definitions were clarified to provide 
consistency among reports. Row 5280, Nonregulated, is no longer 
included in Row 5200, Miscellaneous, to be consistent with Part 32. Row 
descriptions and definitions of Row 510, Basic Local Service Revenue, 
and Row 520, Local Network Service Revenue were clarified to be 
consistent with the same change made in Report 43-02. A new row 
entitled ``Total Operating Expenses'' has been added. The definitions 
of Rows 7200, 7300, 7600 and 750 were revised to clarify the 
instructions for their calculation. Rows 8042, Rate of Return, and Row 
8045, Rate of Return Including FCC Refund are revised pursuant to the 
LEC Price Cap Order. Row 8021, Approximate Net Taxable Income has been 
revised to clarify its calculation. Row 9010, Total Billable Access 
Lines, has been revised to be consistent with FCC Report 43-01, Table 
II, Row 2140.

Federal Communications Commission.
William F. Caton,
Acting Secretary.
[FR Doc. 97-1860 Filed 1-24-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P